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| It is important to understand the difference between the terms “owner”, “landlord”, and “agent”. All tenancies under the ''[[Residential Tenancy Act]] (RTA)'' have an owner who is automatically considered a landlord. In addition, some tenancies will include agents acting as secondary landlords on behalf of the owner. For example, if you rent a unit in a large apartment building, there is a good chance the owner will hire a property management company to manage the building. In this situation, the owner and the property management company, acting as the owner’s agent, are considered your landlords. This means that if you have any problems during your tenancy, you can list both of them on an application for dispute resolution. See section 1 of the ''RTA'' for more information. | | It is important to understand the difference between the terms “owner”, “landlord”, and “agent”. All tenancies under the ''[[Residential Tenancy Act]] (RTA)'' have an owner who is automatically considered a landlord. In addition, some tenancies will include agents acting as secondary landlords on behalf of the owner. For example, if you rent a unit in a large apartment building, there is a good chance the owner will hire a property management company to manage the building. In this situation, the owner and the property management company, acting as the owner’s agent, are considered your landlords. This means that if you have any problems during your tenancy, you can list both of them on an application for dispute resolution. See section 1 of the ''RTA'' for more information. |
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| ==Application fees==
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| A potential landlord cannot ask you to pay a fee to simply apply to rent a place. If you pay an application fee and the landlord will not give it back to you, you can apply for dispute resolution to have it returned. At a dispute resolution hearing you can remind the arbitrator that the application fee was collected from you illegally and should be returned. Of course you need to know the
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| landlord's proper legal name and address and have proof that you paid the fee. Many potential tenants pay these fees in cash and do not know to whom they are paying the fees. Therefore, it is best to not pay an application fee and not rent from someone who asks for it. Take it as an indication of problems to come. (See also the section on [[Making Your Tenancy Agreement#Deposits and paying rent|Deposits and paying rent]].) ''See section 15 of the [[Residential Tenancy Act|RTA]].''
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| ==Information for visiting students==
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| If you are visiting from another country and renting in British Columbia, it is important to know your rights and obligations under the ''Residential Tenancy Act''. If you are not planning on staying for a year, then you should not sign a lease or agreement that says you will stay for a year. Some landlords rent to visiting students knowing that they won't stay for a year, but make them sign a one-year lease anyway. The landlord then uses the broken agreement as an excuse to keep the student's security deposit. Another common problem for visiting students is landlords who don't return security deposits. Some landlords take advantage of the fact that the student will be returning to another country and unable to file for dispute resolution for a return of their security deposit.
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| ===If you are renting during your extended stay===
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| If you are renting during your extended stay in British Columbia:
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| *Do not sign a lease that states how long you must stay unless you intend to stay for that period of time.
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| *Make sure you have a written tenancy agreement with the owner or manager of the property.
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| *Do not take over a rental from another student who is renting and leaving the country without having your own agreement in writing with the landlord.
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| *Do not sign any documents that you don't fully understand.
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| *Do the move-in and move-out inspection reports with your landlord.
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| *Designate someone who lives in BC to act as your agent in dispute resolution in case you need to return to your home country before the landlord has returned your security deposit. Contact the Residential Tenancy Branch to do this.
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| {{Tipsbox
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| | width = 90%
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| | tips = '''Protect yourself from the start'''
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| Remember that you are entering into a contract—a business deal with a landlord. It is important to make sure everything about the deal is clear from the beginning so that there is little chance of an argument or dispute later.
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| }}
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| ==Renting for the first time? Take TRAC's Online Course!==
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| TRAC has a free online course called Renting it Right, which can help you find rental housing and understand your legal rights. The course is designed for first-time renters, and covers topics such as understanding your needs and preferences, searching for housing, applying to rent a place, signing a tenancy agreement, and moving in. Throughout the course, you can complete activities to help you secure the right place. Examples of activities include:
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| *Creating a monthly budget
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| *Preparing a list of references
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| *Ordering your credit report
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| *Writing a cover letter
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| *Thinking about potential roommates
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| By completing the course and passing the final exam, students earn a certificate that can be presented to landlords with a rental application. This is a great option if you do not have rental references!
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| Register for free at [http://www.RentingitRight.ca www.RentingitRight.ca].
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| == Legislation and links == | | == Legislation and links == |
